This invention relates to vehicles and, more particularly, to end-weighted vehicles and to associated methods of constructing and arranging wheeled vehicles.
A vehicle is generally any device or structure for transporting persons or things. One type of vehicle is the wheeled passenger vehicle. Of the many types of wheeled passenger vehicles are cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles. Since the advent of the motorized passenger vehicle, skilled artisans have devoted considerable time, effort and resources toward improving not only the mechanical the technical attributes of motorized travel, but also to the various apparatus and designs that concern aesthetic beauty and driver and passenger comfort and safety. Given the interest many young children often have in toys made to resemble race cars, motorcycles, tractors and other wheeled vehicle forms, artisans devoted to the toy industry also invest considerable resources toward the development of interesting and pleasing toy vehicles that often are equipped with drive assemblies or motors, which, in some cases, are adapted and arranged to be actuated and controlled with the use of a remote control. Given that the art directed toward passenger and toy vehicles is a continually advancing one, it is inevitable that faithful artisans will continue to explore the nature of the art in the pursuit of improving upon it.
In this spirit, there is a need for an improved wheeled vehicle form that is easy to construct and that incorporates an end-weighted wheeled structure, which is adapted and arranged to cause the vehicle to rest and move in a unique and interesting fashion and which is especially adapted for the toy and recreational vehicle industries.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in a new and improved end-weighted vehicle comprising a framework having opposing ends and a wheel mounted to one of the ends for rotation and defining a footprint. A weight is supported by the framework proximate the wheel so as not to interfere with the rotation of the wheel. The weight is sufficiently heavy and sufficiently distributed proximate the wheel so that the framework is forced to reside in an inclined position with the other of the ends positioned above a supporting surface when the wheel is positioned against the supporting surface. The footprint is of a size sufficient to support and maintain the framework in the, inclined condition. Another wheel may also be mounted to the framework at the other of the opposing ends. In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle bears resemblance generally to a motorcycle, and yet it may be configured to resemble other wheeled vehicle forms.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the weight is located within the wheel and the wheel is mounted for rotation to ends of an axle of the framework. The wheel functions essentially as a housing for the weight. The weight is preferably supported by and affixed to the axle between the ends of the axle. The wheel is associated with a drive assembly carried by the framework for driving the wheel for rotation. The drive assembly may be non-motorized or motorized.
Consistent with the foregoing, the invention also contemplates associated methods.